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| January 2002 Volume 1 Issue 11 In
This Issue: Purchasers of new computers with Windows XP, or for those who upgraded to the new Windows XP operating system now have unbeatable screen reading accessibility from the just released JAWS® for Windows Version 4.01. This version is compatible with the new Windows XP Operating System. This new version of the world's most popular screen reader, JAWS 4.01 benefits both the professional and home user with many other enhancements including full support for display color depths up to 32-bit for Windows NT, Windows 2000 and now Windows XP. With the new HTML Headings feature, web surfers will be able to find information faster and easier, in particular with complex pages. JAWS 4.01 will view HTML code headings and allows the user to quickly navigate to the category or sub-category in that page. This version also announces access keys assigned to HTML elements--a welcome addition to those in the business and educational environments. For an overview of many of the enhancements, please access the following link: New Features in JAWS® for Windows 4.01. In September, Freedom Scientific released JAWS® for Windows Version 4.0 with new state-of-the-art technology and options including world class Braille and application support, INSERT+F1 On Screen Help Messages, Powerful Customization Tools and a Personal Tutor among its many new features. JAWS 4.0 customers can download the 20 Mb update from our Web site at the following link: Download JAWS 4.01. New users can visit their local dealer, or call Freedom Scientific at 1-800-444-4443 or 1-727-803-8000 to order. With an installed base now over 73,000 worldwide, JAWS provides screen reading technology to provide access to the Internet and today's popular software applications including Microsoft® Office, Adobe® Acrobat® Reader 5.0 PDF documents, Corel® Word Perfect®, and many others. 
Freedom Scientific is preparing its final release of its MAGic 8.0 Professional Edition which provides magnification with speech functionality for those using Windows NT and Windows 2000 operating systems. The MAGic 8.0 Professional Edition gives those in professional and educational environments an ideal magnification software solution that is compatible with the world's most popular screen reader JAWS® for Windows. The software magnifies the information the person chooses, from two times to 16 times its normal size. The smoothing feature eliminates jagged edges caused by bitmapping when images or characters are magnified on the screen. With the speech option, MAGic 8.0 gives users the ability to choose information they want read from a computer screen as they navigate applications. MAGic reads the information aloud as users type it--either character-by-character or word-by-word, or they can move the mouse over existing text and hear it. The speech option is particularly helpful when listening to entire paragraphs, email or lengthy documents on the Internet. You can use magnification and speech together or independently. The easy to understand color-coded
user interface, and hot keys that avoid conflicts with Windows and other
software applications, highlight the list of other features, including:
Erik Weihenmayer begins his ascent with Freedom Scientific The highest elevation in Orlando, Florida is 106 feet. Not much of a challenge for the world's most recognized mountaineer. However, Erik Weihenmayer enthusiastically took on a different challenge at the recent 2002 ATIA conference in the central Florida city when he attended his first Freedom Scientific Product Advisory Board meeting. Members of the Product Advisory Board are prominent assistive technology experts representing some of the most recognized public and private organizations in the blindness field. Erik will be part of a wide range of activities for Freedom Scientific in the coming months, most importantly the promotion of assistive technology during his many speaking engagements worldwide. Weihenmayer, the first blind mountain climber to summit Mt. Everest, is on course to become one of the youngest people to climb all of the world's Seven Summits. He had an opportunity to visit the Freedom Scientific tradeshow booth and was "shadowed" the entire day by a feature reporter for the Orlando Sentinel who not only got some personal insight about Erik's triumphs, but also learned how assistive technology is helping many reach their own new heights of accomplishment. Word of his new association with Freedom Scientific even prompted an over-the-phone interview on assistive technology on Jwave FM, a Japanese radio station. Erik is a long time user of Freedom Scientific products. The most notable is his Braille 'n Speak notetaker that he used to document his historic climbs to share with those following his progress and to write his inspiring book, "Touch the Top of the World". In March, Weihenmayer will be Freedom Scientific's guest at the 2002 California State University, Northridge (CSUN) Conference held in Los Angeles. He is scheduled to speak at the conference on March 21st on the topic: A Blind Mountain Climbers Quest of the Seven Summits at 12 noon in the LA Ballroom, Hilton Hotel. He will also visit with attendees at the Freedom Scientific tradeshow exhibit during the day.
In many venues, Corel® WordPerfect® 10 is the word processing program of choice, in particular in educational and professional environments. When development teams from Freedom Scientific and Corel worked together, the popular word processing program became accessible to those using JAWS® for Windows 4.0. The success of these teams provided additional job and educational opportunities for those who are blind or vision impaired. Now, Freedom Scientific's Training Department has released a comprehensive five-hour tutorial, written and narrated by Karen McCall, an Adaptive Technology Specialist. Karen was a perfect choice for the job as she is a Beta Tester for both Freedom Scientific and Corel. Karen was also the author and narrator for Freedom Scientific's popular tutorial Microsoft Excel® 2000 with JAWS® for Windows. The WordPerfect 10 tutorial
is ideal for those wanting to learn how to use the program for home, educational
or business applications, or for those who want to sharpen their skills
using JAWS. Some of the topics covered include: If you are a novice or advanced JAWS user, you can increase your speed, efficiency and discover new tips and tricks with these comprehensive instructional sessions. Practice documents are included to complement the tutorial. The cost of the tutorial is
$79.95 (U.S. Customers). It includes four audiocassettes and one diskette
with practice files. To order, visit your local dealer, or call Freedom
Scientific at 1-800-444-4443 or 1-727-803-8000.
Editors Note: Bill McCann, founder and president of Dancing Dots, wrote the following article. Bill is a long-time JAWS® for Windows user and a dealer of Freedom Scientific products. Freedom Scientific and Dancing Dots. Making beautiful music together The curtain opens and the concert begins. Elizabeth Boettner, a 16-year old violinist, is well prepared to play her part thanks to her personal determination, support of teachers and family and Braille scores created by GOODFEEL from Dancing Dots--the world's first Braille music translator. Liz is one of thousands of students who are blind who can participate more fully in school ensembles and general music classes by knowing the score created automatically by GOODFEEL in standard music Braille. GOODFEEL, first released in 1997, is the first in a series of products that broaden music literacy, education, professional and even recreational opportunities. Freedom Scientific carries products from Dancing Dots to complement their full line of assistive technology products. Leslie, a gifted cellist, recently completed her master's degree in music therapy at the Eastman School of Music. "Once I transfer the GOODFEEL file to my Braille Lite, I can take it to ensemble rehearsals and actually mark my music like everyone else," Leslie said. These are just two of many success stories of musicians making their mark with the use of GOODFEEL by Dancing Dots. Freedom Scientific offers three music software programs in one for aspiring musicians. GOODFEEL ships with the SharpEye music scanning software and the Lime notation editor, two excellent mainstream music applications. With GOODFEEL, in a single, seamless process, sighted educators and parents in 25 countries now create a Braille music score without necessarily knowing the Braille music code. Users typically edit scanned pieces with Cakewalk and transcribe the resulting MIDI file into Braille with GOODFEEL. Of course, automated Braille production is of little use to a student who does not know how to read Braille music. Last year, Dancing Dots introduced "An Introduction to Music for the Blind Student, A Course in Braille Music Reading." This innovative new curriculum by Richard Taesch gives a music educator or vision teacher the tools and information needed to start the blind student on the path to complete music literacy, independence and inclusion. CakeTalking, introduced by Dancing Dots in 1999, customizes the JAWS screen reader to deliver transparent access to Cakewalk, mainstream software that converts your PC into a multi-track recording studio. With CakeTalking, a blind musician can independently make sound recordings and even notate musical ideas in conventional staff notation for sighted musicians or teachers. In dozens of countries, from the Trinity College of Music in London, to a middle school in Tennessee, Freedom Scientific products and a willingness to use them are genuinely changing the lives of blind musicians. Stars of the music industry now employ products from Freedom Scientific and Dancing Dots to express their creativity. Of course, getting your first Braille flute part, learning to print your music theory homework independently, or creating a great sounding demo of your own song, do not guarantee that you'll win a Grammy Award. But these activities are a result of blending innovative technologies with the human desire to succeed, compete and contribute. • A fifth-grader now confidently participates in the school band instead of just imitating the sighted student beside him. • A piano teacher who is blind independently prepares and prints out exercises for her sighted students. • An audio professional charges the going hourly rate for his engineering services. For more information, or to
place an order, contact your local dealer, or call Freedom Scientific
at 1-800-444-4443 or 1-727-803-8000.
Freedom Scientific's mission is to develop, manufacture and market innovative technology-based products and services that those with vision impairments and learning disabilities use to change their world. @Freedom
Scientific is published by Customers
can email their software technical questions to Software Support at FreedomScientific.com.
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